2

I wrote an essay and it contained a lot of it's. Upon doing a grammar check on it, all the it's were suggested to be replaced by its.

I am currently not much familiar with the difference between the two. And when to use which one?

Improve this question
4
  • 1
    its = belonging to it. it's is an abbreviated form of it is. ALWAYS.
    – FumbleFingers
    Dec 14, 2019 at 16:48
  • 3
    @FumbleFingersReinstateMonica Or it has. "It's been fun!"
    – user230
    Dec 14, 2019 at 17:36
  • @snailcar♦: Oops! I now regret and have cancelled my closevote (as "lacking research"). That's two important facts about it's that wouldn't necessarily be easy for a learner to find by casual Internet search - your point, and the one alluded to in my comment under Vsevolod IV's post (about not being able to use the abbreviated form as the final element in an utterance).
    – FumbleFingers
    Dec 14, 2019 at 18:02
  • 1
    I wonder how you could possibly write an essay and not know the difference.
    – Lambie
    Jul 16, 2020 at 16:53

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
-2

A: Whose is that? Is it his?

B: No, its it is

its --> belonging to "it"

it is --> it's (contraction)

Improve this answer
10
  • 2
    Native speakers would be very unlikely to come out with that reply (except perhaps "facetiously").
    – FumbleFingers
    Dec 14, 2019 at 17:04
  • Wow! Seriously?:p This wasn't meant to be GRAMMATICALLY correct, I only posted it to show how the two work SYNTACTICALLY
    – Vsevolod IV
    Dec 14, 2019 at 17:07
  • It's "grammatically" fine. But idiomatically it's avoided, which imho makes it a poor example to present to learners (who might not realise they shouldn't copy it).
    – FumbleFingers
    Dec 14, 2019 at 17:15
  • ...I also believe that grammatically / syntactically it would be perfectly possible (but non-idiomatic) for B to reply No, its is it or No, its it is, and there may even be recorded written instances of either or both. I don't know if it's actually "ungrammatical" to reply No, its it's, but I'm quite sure there won't be any written instances of that version.
    – FumbleFingers
    Dec 14, 2019 at 17:20
  • 1
    Point taken. I'll edit it according to the recommendations given. Thank you!:)
    – Vsevolod IV
    Dec 14, 2019 at 17:26
2

it's - contraction of it is, it has or like as where is or there is

its - possessive form of it and use to say that something belongs to or refers to something like my or your.

For example:
He doesn’t think its a good idea to spend all his money on video games. - incorrect
He doesn’t think it’s a good idea to spend all his money on video games. - correct

Its been a year since the last time they met - incorrect
It’s been a year since the last time they met - correct

The computer looked as though it’s power supply had failed - incorrect
The computer looked as though its power supply had failed - correct

A car is no good without it’s wheels - incorrect
A car is no good without its wheels - correct

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .